“Just…a signal,” I reply. “You’ll know.”
We round the corner and the Malone Building comes into view. Despite the fact that it’s the middle of the night, the all-glass fa?ade glows, full of light. But all is quiet and still. Any hubbub that my fire alarm caused hours ago is long over. And why wouldn’t it be? There was nothing wrong. The building hides its secrets well.
About twenty yards ahead of us, Rebel starts staggering and shouting at the top of her lungs.
“Where is my dad?” she screams. “I need to—hic—t-t-talk, uh, see him right now!”
I nod at Jeremy, then race after her.
“Rebel!” I try to sound desperate. Concerned. “Wait! We need to get you home!”
She reaches the front doors, which are uncharacteristically locked. Another one of the new security protocols.
While Rebel rattles the doors, pounding the glass and shouting for her father, I catch up and make a big show of trying to drag her away.
I glance inside to see if our little act is having any effect on the guards at the desk.
“It’s working,” I whisper under my breath. “Now slap me.”
Without hesitation, Rebel whirls around and smacks her palm across my cheek. I gasp. I hadn’t expected her to hit me so hard.
Grabbing her by the shoulders, I shove her into the door. Within seconds, we have each other by the hair and are screaming like freaking banshees.
If security doesn’t step in soon, one of us is going to draw blood.
Plus the cayenne pepper’s really done its job. Rebel’s eyes are tearing, her nose is running, and she’s drooling all over me.
I see a shadow in my peripheral vision a moment before I hear the lock disengage. Finally.
The door slides open, and the two regular night guards—Luther and Travis—each grab one of us and drag us apart.
“What’s going on here, girls?” Luther asks.
Travis pulls me out of Rebel’s reach. “I thought you two were friends.”
“We are,” I spit. “She’s drunk”—I shoot her a look full of loathing—“again and acting like a raging bitch.”
“Mmmm-mam not drunk,” Rebel sputters. “And ya—yor—you’re the bitch.”
On the last word, she swings for me. As Luther struggles to hold her back, he doesn’t notice her slip a hand to his belt and disconnect his security badge.
I shake my head, shifting into concerned friend mode. “Rebel, stop.” I turn to Travis. “She needs to sleep it off. Let’s get her to her dad’s office and she can sober up on his couch.”
Travis opens his mouth like he wants to argue, but then Rebel makes a horking sound, and in a flash the two guards are escorting us inside.
Before the door closes behind us, Rebel flicks her wrist and levitates the pilfered pass onto the sidewalk outside. Holding my hand behind my back, I form my fingers into the Vulcan salute. I’d like to see Jeremy miss that signal.
Now if only the rest of the plan goes as smoothly, maybe we’ll all make it out of this alive.
? ? ?
“Thank you both so much,” I gush as Travis and Luther let us into Mr. Malone’s office.
Luther carries a seemingly-passed-out Rebel over to the couch, and I turn to Travis. “I should get her some orange juice.”
Rebel times her moan of misery perfectly. “Kenna…” She flings an arm over her forehead. “I’m dying…”
I rush to her side. “I’m here, Reb. I’m here.” I give the guards my best no-Mom-please-don’t-make-me-a-guinea-pig-again look. “I shouldn’t leave her.”
Travis looks uncomfortable. “We can’t leave the desk unmanned.”
I nod, feigning understanding.
“You get back to the desk,” Luther tells Travis. “I’ll get our girl here some juice from the dining sector.”
Wow, I’m a better actress than I thought.
“Thank you,” I say as the guards leave the office.
The moment the door glides shut behind them, Rebel is off the couch. I dig Jeremy’s tiny USB device out of my pocket and join her at her dad’s desk. It only takes her a couple of seconds to find an open port on the back of his computer.
According to Jeremy, that tiny piece of metal and plastic will give him undetectable control of Mr. Malone’s system. Which means he’ll be able to monitor the entire building.
Between that and using Luther’s pass to gain access to the systems in the security office, we pretty much control the entire facility.
My phone beeps with a text from Jeremy.
Lifted signal jammer
Ur good to go
This bldg is pwned
“We’re in.” I peer into the hallway, making sure the guards are gone.